Tony Ferguson Praises His Own ‘Genius’ Fighting Style

Tomorrow night (Sat. October 7, 2017) Ferguson will take on No. 7-ranked Kevin Lee for the interim lightweight championship in the main event of UFC 216 on pay-per-view (PPV). Earlier this week Lee spoke to media to discuss Ferguson’s unique fighting style, to which “The Motown Phenom” tried to downplay and name Ferguson’s mindset as to what has been responsible for all his success (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“With him, it’s not even so much of a technical thing. It’s his mindset that drives him through a lot of these fights,” Lee said. “He’s in the fights, he’s getting hurt, but he comes back and he’s hurting other guys, and he’s able to weather them storms. So I’m going to bring a hurricane to his ass, and I don’t think he’ll be able to weather it. I think the first round is going to go terrible for him, the second round is going to go terrible for him, all the way through the fifth.

“I feel like I’m built for five rounds, I’ve always said it. I think all my fights should be five rounds. So from here on out, they will be, because I’m a smarter fighter. I go back to the corner, I reassess. If I have a tough round, I start the next one and it’s going to be smart, so the more time I get in between the corners, the stronger that I’m going to get, the more I’m able to dissect guys, and you see it in all of my fights.”

Photo Credit: Dave Mandel/Sherdog

Ferguson caught wind of these criticisms and laughed them off, calling his style ‘f*cking genius’ and claiming it’s too far ahead of everyone else for them to understand:

“It’s very intellectual. The reason why you guys say it’s weird is because you don’t understand it,” Ferguson said. “It’s f*cking genius. Let me tell you, it’s so far past your guys’ heads it’s not even funny, because this is the next stage in everybody’s evolution. I’ve been working on this since 2008; actually, before that. I said I had a double doctorate in athletics, I’m working on my triple.”

“El Cucuy” also commented on Lee’s claim that the interim title they’re fighting for is actually the real 155-pound title (which is currently held by Conor McGregor). At the end of the day Ferguson doesn’t even believe Lee has the right to make such claims yet:

“Whatever he’s going to think, if it’s the real lightweight title or whatever it is, this kid hasn’t earned the right to talk,” Ferguson said. “Not one bit.

“You guys deserve a better me, man. I’m primed. I’m the best. But it’s hard when you’ve got a knucklehead like Kevin Lee that wants to just keep pushing that button. So for me, I have to be a captain of the team, and this guy wants my spot on that team. He wants that varsity spot. So I’m going to treat it like it’s a competition, not a fight. I’m going to go in there and give him a T.F. — an old Tony Ferguson technical fall. I’m going to outpoint him then I’m going to pin him.”

Unfortunately, as much as I despise his approach to professional fighting, where belts, rankings, and merit should count for something– Conor is the undisputed lightweight champion of the world. Fortunately for him, he fights for an organization that shares his weak ass approach and thus, they enable and enrich each other. Furthermore, the fact that this fight is for an interim belt means nothing and in no way shape or form suggests that the winner will face Conor or that the UFC will have any interest in unifying the belts. That may sound ridiculous to some– but so is the state of affairs in the near WWE-like sports entertainment field that is the current UFC.
The greatest intrigue surrounding this fight does not even concern the winner– who will neither be the undisputed world champ nor will he be any closer to proving that he is because the Conor fight to “unify the belts” will be no closer to happening– not even an organizational priority. My interest will be in the loser and the obstacles he faces–specifically, what path will the organization give him to work his way back to a title shot. I think a loss will be kinder to Tony because Lee has acknowledged and the rest of the world knows, every body is afraid to fight Tony. Tony has earned his spot. He has the win streak to back it up. Khabib has bitched out repeatedly. So if Tony loses, people will not be able to duck him any more. A Tony loss might be better for the division because it forces movement. One win and he is probably right back in the #1 contender slot. If Lee loses…he has a problem. Most believe him undeserving and as having cut the line all the way from a #7 world ranking to an interim title shot via trash talking. A loss would seem to validate the haters. It would test his psyche to the limits given the epic trash talking he has done since the Summer Kickoff. How would he respond mentally…especially if he were to be finished? And it is likely the case he would have to face the murderer’s row of contenders presently ranked ahead of him…probably 3 fights, including a rematch with Tony or a fight with Conor ( depending upon a lot of unknowns here) contingent of course upon whether Tony and Conor ever fight. If the weigh-ins were an indicator, Lee looked upset almost to tears that Tony would not even acknowledge his presence and he really came across as a kid who had something to prove to his big brother and was posturing to muster up the courage necessary. He looked to be straddling that line of the necessary fear required to perform at one’s best and anxiety over the yet to be determined outcome. On the other hand, Tony appeared supremely confident and ultimately prepared to go out and do his job. His camp needs to make sure that supreme confidence and ultimate preparation do not lead to a lack of urgency early on and another slow start like the one he had against “Groovy.” Lee will be looking to start fast and capitalize early.
I see Lee as the more desperate man here with far more to lose– a desperate man at times can be the most dangerous man as he feels himself become cornered…he becomes even more unpredictable…a wild card…a loose canon if you will. For that reason, I am picking the Motown Phenom in this one. Feast on that LOWKICK hipsters. I would love to hear from Ecrash…the number one ass-kicking poster of all-times, who humbles me and teaches me every time he posts.